Apparatus for laying strips of paving material



R. W. SMITH March 30, 1965 APPARATUS FOR LAYING STRIPS OF PAVING MATERIAL Filed July 28, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR:

ROY W. 3M \TH ,MALA- IW ATTORNEYS March 30, 1965 w. s rr 3,175,478

APPARATUS FOR LAYING STRIPS 0F PAVING MATERIAL Filed July 28, 1961 '3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I r I 1/ g 111/ 7777 1 1111 A INVENTOR:

ROY W. firm-H B axmmaimw ATTORNEYS R. W. SMITH March 30, 1965 APPARATUS FOR LAYING STRIPS OF PAVING MATERIAL Filed July 28,- 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR AT'T NEYS heights within the frame of the machine.

United States Patent 3,175,478 APPARATUS FOR LAYING STRlPS 0F PAVING MATERIAL Roy W. Smith, Salisbury, N.C., assignor to: Power Curbers, Inc., Salisbury, N.C., a corporation of North Carolina Filed July 23, 1961, Ser. No. 127,696 3 Claims. (CI. 9446) This invention relates to machines for laying strips of paving material such as slabs, curbs, or curbs and gutters or the like, and is particularly concerned with improvements in machines of the character disclosed in a patent to William E. Canfield, Patent No. 2,707,422, issued on May 3, 1955, and a patent to William E. Canfield and Roy W. Smith, Patent No. 2,818,790, issued on January 7, 1958.

The machine disclosed in Patent No. 2,707,422 and Patent No. 2,818,790 generally comprises a frame member having individually vertically adjustable wheels mounted thereon for movement of the apparatus over a surface, an open-bottomed hopper mounted on the frame for receipt of suitable paving material, a horizontally disposed tube having an open rear end and mounted on the frame below the hopper and communicating therewith, a driven screw disposed within the tube for propelling and compressing the paving material received therein from the hopper rearwardly through the tube, and a mold having an open bottom and open rear end mounted on the frame and communicating with the open rear end of the tube for receiving therein the paving material extruded from the open rear end of the tube by the driven screw. The paving material directed into the mold from the open rear end of the tube is caused to assume the shape of the mold and the machine is propelled forwardly due to the thrust of the screw in compressing the paving material against the material already in the mold. These machines also included suitable drive means for driving the screw which preferably took the form of an internal combustion engine mounted on the top of the rear end of the frame and operatively connected to the driven screw.

While the aforementioned machines could accommodate molds of a limited range of mold heights, to make the same more versatile, it was deemed desirable to modify the machine to make it capable of accomodating molds of a considerably wider range of heights. in an attempt to perfect such a machine, the frame thereof was extended in height to thus provide sufficient space for accommodating the desired increased range of mold However, it was soon determined that such a machine was unstable due to the relatively narrow base of the frame and the position of the center of gravity of the machine adjacent the top of this frame. This position of the center of gravity was occasioned by the positioning of the hopper, which is normally filled with paving material, on the top of the frame of increased height. This great mass of weight, along with the weight of the engine, which is also positioned on top of the frame, coupled with the narrow base, made the machine top-heavy. This necessitated greater care in preparing the surface over which the machine was to be moved and in most cases necessitated providing a substantially smooth surface for the machine in order to lay the paving material in the desired manner. Also, the overall size of the machine including the weight thereof was substantially increased with a consequent increase in construction and shipping costs and increased difficulty in handling and manipulating the apparatus.

In this type of apparatus, the position of the horizontally disposed tube and the feed auger would have to be changed for the molds of different heights if the change 3,175,478 Fatented Mar. 30, 1965 in mold height exceeded the aforementioned limited range.

The hopper of this machine as well as those machines of the aforementioned patents had to be maintained substantially horizontal transversely of the direction of movement of the machine for the paving material to feed properly to the horizontally disposed tube. This was occasioned by the fact that the hopper must be of suflicient area to hold a considerable volume of paving material while having only a small open bottom of less width than the horizontally disposed tube. Therefore, the sides of the hopper tapered outwardly and upwardly from the open bottom at a relatively small acute angle to the horizontal. These prior machines could not therefore form strips of paving material transversely of a surface inclined at any appreciable angle since the paving material would not feed properly down the side of the hopper if the angle thereof was appreciably lessened. However, these machines could form such strips transversely of an inclined surface with an elevated track on the lower side of the machine relative to the incline to maintain the machine substantially horizontal transversely of the direction of travel. However, such elevated track was expensive and consumed considerable time in the construction thereof.

The present invention 'W3S developed to obviate the aforementioned difficulties and problems. Generally, the apparatus of the present invention provides an auxiliary frame comprising two separate frame sections, one for each side of the main frame, which provides a wider base for support of the working elements of the machine. The auxiliary frame sections have portions extending upwardly therefrom, and means disposed on the upwardly extending portions of the auxiliary frame sections mounting the main frame on the auxiliary frame for vertical adjustment relative thereto. The vertical adjustment of the main frame relative to the auxiliary frame and therefore the surface allows molds of the desired range of heights; i.e., 12 to 20 inches, to be mounted thereon without the necessity of changing the position of the tube and feed auger. Since the main frame is dependingly mounted on the upwardly extending portions of the auxiliary frame, the center of gravity of the main frame,

including the working elements mounted thereon, is maintained at a lower level relative to the top of the auxiliary frame than the center of gravity of the working elements relative to the aforementioned increased height frame, thereby obviating any unstableness. This is especially true in the lower portion of the desired range of mold heights since the main frame and the working elements carried thereby are vertically adjusted relative to the auxiliary frame and the surface for the different mold heights. Therefore, in the lower portion of the range of mold heights, the top of the main frame would be considerably closer to the surface than in the aforementioned type of apparatus. The overall size and weight of the apparatus of the present invention is not materially increased over the prior apparatus and therefore the same is handled and manipulated with substantially the same ease.

The separateness of the two frame sections allows one to be vertically adjusted relative to the other. This al lows strips to be formed transversely of inclined surfaces without the necessity of an elevated track while still maintaining the main frame substantially horizontal transversely of the direction of travel.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide apparatus of the character described wherein a main frame supporting the working elements of the apparatus is adjustably mounted on an axuiliary frame for vertical adjustment relative thereto so that molds of varying tan open bottom 24 therein.

heights maybe mounted on the frame and wherein the aforementioned unstableness does not occur.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide apparatus of the character last described wherein the auxiliary frame comprises two frame sections, one for each side of the main frame, and having portions extending upwardly therefrom, and wherein means is disposed on the upwardly extending portions of the auxiliary frame sections for adjustably mounting the main frame onthe auxiliary frame for vertical adjustment relative thereto so that molds of varying heights may be mounted on the main frame, the main frame being maintained below the top of the upwardly extending portions of the auxiliary frame to prevent the apparatus from being top-heavy and, hence, unstable.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide apparatus of the character last described wherein the frame sections are separate from each other so that the same may be adjusted to different vertical heights rela tive to the main frame such that strips of paving material FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the opposite side of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is atop plan view of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1; 1 v 7 FIGURE 4 is an enlarged sectiontaken substantially along line 4-4 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a reduced rear elevation of the apparatus laying strips of paving material on an inclined surface;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional detail 3 taken substantially along line 6--6 of FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 7 is an exploded isometric detail, partly in section, of the adjustable mounting means of the present invention. 7 v

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the apparatus is broadly designated at 10 and comprises a main frame broadly designated at 11. Frame 11 comprises upper andlower left-hand longitudinal side frame memk bers 12 and 13 which are secured in spaced relation to 7 each other by means of upright frame members 14 and 15.

Corresponding longitudinal side frame members on the right-hand side of frame 11 are indicated at 12', 13' and are secured in spaced relation by means of upright frame members 14, 15'. The upper longitudinal frame memface upon which the strip of paving material is being formed. 3 r

Mounted on frame 11 is a suitable hopper 23 which has Mounted below the open bottom 24 of hopper 23 is a horizontally disposed tube 25 which communicateswith hopper 23 through the open bottom 24 and which extends rearwardly from hopper23 to a point where it terminates in an open rear end. A suitable driven. screw or feed auger 26 is mounted for rotation in tube 25for conveying the paving material re ceived therein from hopper 23 rearwardly throughthe tube and out of the open rear end thereof. Feed auger 26 is driven by suitable connections from amotor drive means 27 which 'is preferably in the from of an internal 'bers, 12, 12' are joined together by cross bars or trans- 4 combustion engine. The particular drive connections for feed auger 26 are more fully shown and described in the aforementioned Patent No. 2,707,422 and reference is made thereto for a morecomplete description thereof.

A suitable mold 30 is mounted on frame 11 and has an open bottom and an open rear end. The forward end of mold 30 communicates with the open rear end of tube 25 for receipt of the paving materialtherefrom when the same is moved out of the open rear end of tube 25 by feed auger 26. An auxiliary auger 31 is mounted for rotation in mold 30 and 'is provided for aiding in the distribution and compaction of the paving material within the mold. Auxiliary auger 31 is driven by suitable connections from feed auger 26. For a more complete disclosure of the auxiliary auger and its function, reference is made to my co-pending application Serial No. 88,333, filed February 10, 1961 and entitled Improved Feeding Means for Curb Laying Machines, now Patent No. 3,137,220.

While a. single auxiliary auger 31 is shown, it is to be understood that more than one auxiliary auger may be used if desired or as indicated by the size, of mold 30 as brought out more fully in said co-pending application.

Likewise, auxiliary auger 31 may be omitted if desired.

' An auxiliary frame is generally indicated at 40 and comprises a pair of frame sections 41, 41". Frame sections 41, 41' are substantially identical in construction and therefore corresponding parts of one section will be indicated by the same reference character as the other section with the prime notation added. Frame sections 41, 41 comprise upper longitudinally extending frame members 42, 42' and lower' longitudinally extending frame members 43, 43'. Upper longitudinally extending "frame members 42, 42' are longer than lower longitudinally extending frame members 43, 43' for reasons to be presently described. Longitudinally extending frame members 42, 43 and 42, 43' are secured in spaced relation to each other by means of upright frame members 44, and 44, 45, respectively. Upper longitudinal frame members 42, 42' have portions 42a, 42a extending outwardly from upright frame members 44, 44' which serve as'a mounting for a pair of front wheels 46,46 which normally support the front portion of the apparatus 10 in closely spaced relation above the surface S.

Front wheels 46, 46' are. of the type known as caster wheels and are suitably journaled between the legs of inverted substantially U-shaped' frames 47, 47' which are supported for rotation about a vertical axis'on the lower ends of vertically disposed shafts 50, 50' by means of suitable thrust bearings generally designated at 51, 51'. The upper portion of shaft 50, 50' ,threadably penetrate suitable nut members 52, 52' mounted in suitable openings in portions 42a, 42a of frame members 42, 42 and have suitable handles 53, 53 on the upper ends thereof. It is thus seen that the front end of auxiliary frame 40 may be raised and lowered relative to the surface S by rotating shafts 50, 5t9' by means of handles 53, 53 in the corresponding directions.

Upper longitudinally extending frame members 42, 42' have portions 42b, 42b extending rearwardly of upright frame members 45, 45', which serveas a mounting for a pair of rearwheels 54, 54'. Rear wheels 54, 54' serve to support the rear portion of the apparatus 1%) when it is desired to move the apparatus when the same is not being used to form strips of paving material. When the apparatus 10 is forming strips of paving material, rear wheels 54, 54" are usually adjusted upwardly to a position out of contact with the surface S so that the rear portion of auxiliary frame 40 is in contact with the surface to serve as a friction brake to the'forward movement of the apparatus. 7 a

To provide this vertical adjustment, rear wheels54, 54' are journaled on shafts 55, 55' whose opposite ends are fixed to the legs of substantially U-shaped brackets 56, 56'. The front ends of the legs of brackets 56, 56 are suitably secured to upright plates v57, 57. Each of the plates 57, 57 is provided with a pair of vertically extending adjustment slots (not shown) each of which is loosely penetrated by bolts 60, 60' for adjustably securing the plates 57, 57' to the rear surface of the corresponding upright frame members 45, 45'. The lower ends of vertically disposed shafts 61, 61 loosely penetrate the upper portion of upright plates 57, 57 and are suitably attached thereto for rotation relative thereto. Shafts 61, 61 threadably penetrate suitable nut members 62, 62' mounted in suitable openings in portions 42b and 42b of frame members 42, 42 and have suitable handles 63, 63 on the upper ends thereof. It is thus seen that rear wheels 54, 54 may be vertically adjusted by turning the handles 63, 63' and shafts 61, 61' in the desired direction to slide plates 57, 57 relative to frame members 45, 45'.

Main frame 11 is mounted on auxiliary frame 40 for vertical adjustment by means of pairs of tubular guide members 70, 71 and 70, 71'. Guide members 70, 71 and 70', 71 are mounted on frame members 42, 43 and 42', 43' by any suitable means such as welding 72 (FIG- URE 6), and extend from a point adjacent lower longitudinal frame members 43, 43' upwardly from upper longitudinal frame members 42, 42" a distance sufiicient to allow main frame 11 to be vertically adjusted relative to surface S to allow molds of the desired range of heights; i.e., 12 to inches, to be selectively mounted thereon. It can therefore be seen that tubular guide members 70, 71 and 70', 71' comprise portions of the auxiliary frame which extend upwardly from the main frame at all times for reasons to be presently described.

Tubular guide members 70, 71 and 70', 71' have elongate slots 73, 73' formed therein for reasons to be presently described. Suitable collars or bearings 74, 74' are mounted in the top portion of tubular guide members 71), 71 and 70', 71' and adjusting screw members 75, 75' are mounted for rotation therein and extend downwardly therefrom a distance greater than the desired range of mold heights. The upper end portions of screw members 75, 75 are squared and receive mating portions of suitable cranks 76, 76' thereon. Crank members 76, 76' are releasably mounted on the squared upper end portions of screw members 75, 75' by means of washers 77, 77' and bolts 80, 80'. Bolts 80, 80 are matingly received in suitable internally threaded openings formed in the upper end portions of screw members 75, 75'. Cranks 76, 76' are preferably of the selectable directional ratchet type such that screw members 75, 75' may be selectively rotated in either direction.

Suitable nut members 81, 81 are disposed within tubular guide members 70, 71 and 70, 71, respectively, and have portions 82, 82' extending outwardly therefrom through slots 73, 73' which portions are provided with suitably internally threaded openings 83, 83'. Nut members 81, 81 are mounted on frame 11 by suitable bolts 84, 84 which penetrate through suitable openings formed in the upper longitudinal frame members 12, 12', and into the internally threaded openings 83, 83' and act as followers to guide frame 11. Suitable follower blocks 85, 85' are mounted on the lower longitudinal frame members 13, 13' and are received within tubular guide members 70, 71 and 70', 71 and cooperate with nut members 81, 81 in guiding frame 11 in its vertical movement. It can therefore be seen that main frame 11 is dependingly mounted on the top portions of tubular guide members 70, 71 and 70', 71' which results in a very stable structure and insures that the center of gravity of the main frame is maintained at a minimum distance above the surface and at a lower level relative to the top of the tubular members than in the aforementioned type of apparatus to prevent the apparatus from being unstable. It is noted that the range of mold heights which may be mounted on frame 11 may be increased by mounting suitable skids (not shown) on the bottom of lower longitudinal frame members 43, 43'. The preferred range,

however, is 12 to 20 inches and it has been determined that this range may be increased to 12 to 24 inches by the use of the aforementioned skids.

In operation, the particular mold 30 of any desired height within the range of mold heights is selected to be mounted on frame 11 in communication with the open rear end of tube 25. Prior to the mounting of the selected mold 30 on frame 11, the vertical height of frame 11 relative to auxiliary frame 40 is adjusted by rotation of screw members 75, 75 by cranks 76, 76 which moves nut members 81, 81' vertically in the tubular guide members 70, 71 and 70', 71'. Nut members 81, 81 and guide blocks 85, guide frame 11 in its vertical adjustment relative to the auxiliary frame section 41, 41'. The selected mold 30 is then mounted on main frame 11 and the apparatus 10 is in condition to form paving strips of the desired height.

If it is desired to form a strip of paving material on an inclined surface as'is shown in FIGURE 5, one of the frame sections 41 or 41' is adjusted relative to the surface S at a lower level than the other frame section and a mold 30 having an inclined bottom equal to the angle of the inclined surface is mounted on frame 11. It will therefore be seen that this separate adjustment of the auxiliary frame sections 41, 41' maintains the frame 11 in substantially horizontal relation while allowing strips of paving material to be formed on an inclined surface.

It will therefore be apparent that an improved apparatus for forming strips of paving material on a surface has been provided capable of having molds of varying heights mounted thereon and one capable of forming strips of paving material on inclined surfaces without the necessity of elevated tracks. Further, an improved apparatus is provided which is very stable and does not become top-heavy when molds in the upper portion of the desired range of mold heights with which the apparatus is capable of operating is mounted thereon.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for forming raised strips of paving material on a surface and particularly raised strips which extend transversely of an inclined surface, said apparatus having a main frame, a hopper mounted on said main frame and into which paving material is adapted to be received, an elongate mold mounted on said main frame and having an open, transversely inclined bottom and an open rear end, feed means communicating with said hopper and the forward end of said mold for feeding paving material from said hopper into said mold under pressure so as to pack the paving material into the mold and to thus move the apparatus forwardly over the surface due to the pressure of the paving material being fed into the mold on the paving material within the mold, a pair of independent frame sections disposed one on each side of said main frame and extending upwardly thereabove and adapted to contact the surface for movement thereover, and means mounting and suspending opposite sides of said main frame on the top of said frame sections for added stability of the apparatus during movement thereof over the surface and for independent vertical adjustment of opposite sides of said main frame to position said main frame at varying heights above the surface for accommodating molds of varying heights and to position said main frame in a horizontal plane regardless of the incline of the surface.

2. Apparatus for forming raised strips of paving material on a surface, said apparatus having an elongate main frame, an open bottom hopper mounted on said main frame and into which paving material is adapted to be received, feed means carried by said main frame and communicating with said hopper for feeding paving material rearwardly therefrom, said main frame being adapted to receive thereon an elongate m'old'having an open bottom and rear end and adapted to be in communication with said feed means to receive paving material therefrom, a pair of elongate, vertically disposed frame sections positioned one on each side of said main frame and adapted to engage the surface for movement thereover and including vertically disposed guide means extending upwardly from the lower portion of said frame sections to a point disposed above said mainframe, follower means mounted on ,said main frame and operatively associated with said guide means for guiding said main frame in vertical adjustment relative to said frame sections, and adjustment means mounted on the top of each of said guide means and depending therefrom and being operatively connected to said follower .meansfor suspending said main frame from the top of said frame sections-for added stability and for mounting opposite sides of said 'main frame for independent adjustment to accommodate molds of varying heights within the range of at least 12 to 20 inches and forpositionin'g said main frame in a'horizon'tal plane regardless of the transverse incline offthe surface for forming'vertical paving strips,thereon.- 1 a 3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said-guide tubular guide members and extending downwardly therein and being threadably mounted in internally threaded openings in said complementary portions of said follower means.

References Cited in the file ofthis patent UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 1,606,160 Foster Nov. 9., 1926 2,245,426 Baker June 10, 1941 2,251,095 Wood 1111,1 29, 1941 2,623,446 Clark et a1 Dec. 30, 1952 2,707,422 Canfie'ld May 3, 1955 2,899,877 Phillips et a1. Aug. 18, 1959 3,015,259 Apel et a1 Jan. 2, 1962 Smith June 23,;1964 

1. APPARATUS FOR FORMING RAISED STRIPS OF PAVING MATERIAL ON A SURFACE AND PARTICULARLY RAISED STRIPS WHICH EXTEND TRANSVERSELY OF AN INCLINED SURFACE, SAID APPARATUS HAVING A MAING FRAME, A HOPPER MOUNTED ON SAID MAIN FRAME AND INTO WHICH PAVING MATERIAL IS ADAPTED TO BE RECEIVED, AND ELONGATE MOLD MOUNTED ON SAID MAIN FRAME AND HAVING AN OPEN, TRANSVERSELY INCLINED BOTTOM AND AN OPEN REAR END, FEED MEANS COMMUNICATING WITH SAID HOPPER AND THE FORWARD END OF SAID MOLD FOR FEEDING PAVING MATERIAL FROM SAID HOPPER INTO SAID MOLD UNDER PRESSURE SO AS TO PACK THE PAVING MATERIAL INTO THE MOLD AND TO THUS MOVE THE APPARATUS FORWARDLY OVER THE SURFACE DUE TO THE PRESSURE OF THE PAVING MATERIAL BEING FED INTO THE MOLD ON THE PAVING MATERIAL WITHIN THE MOLD, A PAIR OF INDEPENDENT FRAME SECTIONS DISPOSED ONE ON EACH SIDE OF SAID MAIN FRAME AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY THEREABOVE AND ADAPTED TO CONTACT THE SURFACE FOR MOVEMENT THEREOVER, AND MEANS MOUNTING AND SUSPENDING OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID MAIN FRAME ON THE TOP OF SAID FRAME SECTIONS FOR ADDED STABILITY OF THE APPARATUS DURING MOVEMENT THEREOF OVER THE SURFACE AND FOR INDEPENDENT VERTICAL ADJUSTMENT OF OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID MAIN FRAME TO POSITION SAID MAIN FRAME AT VARYING HEIGHTS ABOVE THE SURFACE FOR ACCOMMODATING MOLDS OF VARYING HEIGHTS AND TO POSITION SAID MAIN FRAME IN A HORIZONTAL PLANE REGARDLESS OF THE INCLINE OF THE SURFACE. 